Thursday, February 12, 2015

A look at the Shakers

By Akosua

Going into the talk, I had never really heard anything about
the Shaker women; even in regards to the furniture, I had no idea that they
essentially had a patent on a certain chair. So I suppose that was a sort of
advantage for me, not knowing anything about the shakers, because it allowed me
to have a clear unbiased view of the shaker religion and life.

Reading and hearing about the history of the Shakers
immediately grabbed my interest and appealed to me because I am someone who is
religious and apart of a community. What stuck out to me the most though and
amazed me about the Shakers was their ability to be so ahead of their
time. Mother Ann Lee was truly a revolutionary for women and religion. She knew
what she wanted:Confession, community and celibacy, and she successfully attained all of these things.
Of course, her earnings did not come simply. The Shakers established themselves
from Maine to Kentucky, but they found along this road, many would be against
them. Of course with the creation of a new religious society called "United Society
of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing" there would be some backlash,
but what
makes Ann Lee so amazing and commendable was her ability to disregard the
negativity. Its remarkable that even though she had so much against her,
(her gender, her illiteracy) she heldfast to her ideals.

The
main issue many people find about religion is the lack of community and trust.
Ann Lee wanted to see the end of this distrust amongst
religious communities. Ann Lee, as part of her three C's, believed in
Confession. Unlike the Catholic religion where one confesses to the priest in
secrecy, everyone confesses together. Baring your soul to God is one thing,
but baring your soul to an entire community requires a much
higher sense of trust. It amazes me that people were able develop such
trust between one another. Even today in my own church
community and others I struggle to find the trust that was established
in the Shaker community.

Another thing that amazes me is the equality. Ann Lee led
the Shakers which had men besides women and the amazing thing is that men
actually followed her. To be a woman at the time and not being able to even own
land set the tone that women were meant for housework, but Ann Lee went against
that and her talents to lead shone through which drew so many to her. Ann Lee
inspires me and I believe her story and legacy should continue. The ideas of a
community and trust and realizing talents are what many people still strive to
achieve and find, so that Ann Lee paved the way for this kind of community so
long ago really astonishes me.